Hoop roller game apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for the playing of a game is disclosed. The apparatus includes a ring member and an elongated rod for controlling the ring so that the ring may be rolled along the ground or other suitable surface. The end of the rod which engages the ring is formed in the shape of a notch for the purpose of providing an enclosure, open on one side, into which the ring may be fitted. The rod provides a means of controlling both the speed and direction of rotation of the ring member. A brake may be attached to the ring member for actuation by the rod when it is desired to stop the motion of the ring.

tes iii t m1 1 3 L Streeter May 8, 1973 [54] HOOP ROLLER GAME APPARATUSPrimary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-J. Q. Lever t l! L.t t 2 l S t [76] Inven or W: re Sree er, 12 H tree, Att0mey FrederiCkLBergert N.W., Washington, DC. 20037 [22] Filed: Oct. 29, 1971 [57]ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 193,859 Apparatus for the playing of a game isdisclosed. The apparatus includes a ring member and an elongated rod forcontrolling the ring so that the ring may be {52] US. g] 46/220 rolledalong Hm ground or other suitable Surface The (51 l Int. (,l. ..A63h33/02 I 58 M {S h 46/220 end of the rod which engages the rmg is formedin the ie 0 care Shape of a notch for the p p of providing an emclosure, open on one side, into which the ring may be [56] ReferencesCited fitted. The rod provides a means of controlling both UNITED STATESPATENTS the speed and direction of rotation of the ring member. A brakemay be attached to the ring member RCIldOTl for actuation the rod whenis desired to top the 3,535,820 10/1970 Thompson ..46/22O motion of thering 2,748,533 6/1956 Cipolla ..46/220 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures noorROLLER GAR/m APPTUS BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION othersuitable surface with the direction and speed of movement of the ringbeing subject to control by a rod operated by a person who is playingthe game.

The game is what I choose to call Fast Wheel in that it includes a ringand means for controlling the speed of the ring so that the personplaying the game may increase the speed to the limit of the playersability to keep up with the ring.

The apparatus of the present invention provides a game which is simpleand interesting and capable of being played by small children as well asadults. Means is provided for controlling the speed and also for guidingthe ring as well as for stopping the motion of the ring.

Various games may be played with the present apparatus, one generalscheme being to keep the ring moving in an upright position by means ofthe rod and to vary the speed and direction of the ring as desired. Thepresent apparatus lends itself to group play in which several playersmay engage in a contest to determine which player can keep his ring inan upright posi tion for the longest period of time. An alternative gamewould be the laying out of a course on the ground and a requirement thateach player successfully navigate the course with his Fast Wheel.

Referring to the drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an annular orring member which may be employed in the apparatus of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a rod which may be employed in guidingand controlling the annular or ring member used in the presentapparatus;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the end of the rod which engages thering member; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the ring member of FIG. I with a brakeinstalled for actuation by the rod.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the illustrated embodimentof the present invention as shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, apparatus isprovided which includes a ring member 11, formed of metal or similardurable material and a rod 12. The rod 12 may also be formed'of metal ora similar material and is often of a more lightweight construction thanthe ring member 11 which is relatively heavier to promote stability. Therod 12 is provided with a handle 13 on one end and on the other oroperating end, the rod is fashioned into a configuration which allowsthe rod 12 to engage a section of the ring member 11 while permittingthe rod .12 to be easily engaged and disengaged from proximity to thering 11. One configuration which allows such a relationship between therod 12 and the ring I l is the configuration shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 withthe operating end of the rod 12 being formed into a notch 14 having sideportions 15 and lower portion 16 in the shape of a square having theupper side removed. The square-shaped notch 14 is preferably oriented ina plane which is perpendicular to the plane of the main length of rod12, as shown in FIG. 2. The perpendicular orientation of thesquare-shaped notch 14 with respect to the main length of the rod 12allows the person playing the game to engage the ring member 11 firmlywith the rod 11 and thus maintain control of the ring member 11 and alsoto develop sufficient force in a horizontal direction to keep the ringmember 1 l rolling smoothly along on the ground. The notch is sopositioned around the particular section of the ring with which it is incontact at any given moment as to provide support for the sides andlower portion of the ring section while allowing the ring to pass freelythrough the notch as the ring is being rolled along.

The ring member 11 may be in the form of a hoop or cylinder with theouter periphery having a flat surface for contact with the ground orother horizontal surface on which the ring member is rolled.Alternatively, the outer periphery may have a rounded or convex surfacewith respect to the ground to provide a ring member I l which is moredifficult to control and maintain in an upright position. The width ofthe ring member I1 is preferably sufficiently narrow that the ring willnot remain in an upright position as it moves across a horizontalsurface unless it is controlled by an outside force such as the rod 12operated by a person playing the game. The outer surface and the widthof the ring may be varied, depending upon the degree of difficulty whichis desired to be incorporated into the game. Also the size of the notch14 in the rod 12 into which a section of the ring 11 fits may be varied,with the larger notch enclosure in general providing game apparatuswhich is more difficult to control.

In operation, the ring member 11 is caused to begin rolling by manuallypositioning the ring member 11 in an upright position on the ground orother horizontal surface and bringing the notch 14 of the rod 12 intoengagement with the ring 1 1 at the rear portion of the ring 11 so thatthe notch 14 fits around the section of the ring with which it is inengagement and provides support for the sides and lower portion of thering section which is in contact with the notch 14 at any particulartime as the ring member 11 rotates. By directing the movement of the rod12 forward in a direction parallel to the ground, the ring member 11will begin to roll along the ground and the speed and direction ofmovement of the ring member 1 1 may be controlled by guiding the ringmember 11 with the rod 12.

In order to stop the forward motion of the ring member 11, a brake 17may be attached to the ring member 11 as shown in FIG. 4 for actuationby the rod 12. The brake 17 includes a sleeve portion 18 which isattached to the ring and which has a sufficiently large diameter thatthe ring may easily pass through the sleeve as the ring rotates. Thebrake 117 also includes a tail portion H which extends behind the ring11. The sleeve 18 and the tail portion 19 may be formed of metal orother durable material. Since the ring member 11 passes easily throughthe sleeve 18 of the brake 17 as the ring member 1 1 rotates, the brake17 will tend to slide down the ring and to remain in close contact withthe ground as the ring is rolled along. When it is desired to stop theforward movement of the ring member 11, the rod 12 is moved downwardlyalong the circumference of the ring 11 by the person operating the ring11 until the lower portion 16 of the notch 14 is in engagement with thebrake 17. Further depressing the rod 12 results in the brake 17 beingcompressed between the ground and the notch 14 of the rod 12 so thatforward motion of the brake 17 ceases and, as the brake 17 is attachedto the ring member 11, the ring member 11 also ceases its forwardmotion. I

As an example of the dimensions and materials which may be employed inthe game apparatus of the present invention, a ring member was formed ofa strip of cast iron having a thickness of if; inch and a width of Ainch with the strip being formed into a ring having a diameter of about8 inches. The rod employed was formed of /1 inch diameter copper wire,the rod having a length of about 2 feet with the square shaped notchbeing approximately 2 inches on each side. The ring member and rod ofthe previously mentioned dimensions provide game apparatus capable ofbeing controlled by children of the age of about 8 years and older. Toallow the game to be played by younger children, the width of the ringmember may be increased, for example, to provide a ring having greaterstability in an upright position.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the subjectapparatus may be employed to provide a variety of interesting andenjoyable games requiring varying degrees of skill and coordination.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formshereinbefore described being merely preferred embodiments thereof.

It is claimed:

1. Game apparatus comprising:

a. a ring member,

b. an elongated rod having one end portion adapted to engage the ringmember for imparting rotary motion to the ring member on a substantiallyhorizontal surface, the end portion having a notch into which a sectionof the ring member fits for support of both sides and the lower portionof the section of the ring member while allowing the ring member to passfreely through the notch as the ring member is being rotated, and

c. a brake member slidably attached to the ring member, said brakemember including a sleeve portion attached to the ring member and havinga sufficiently large diameter that the ring member may easily passthrough the sleeve as the ring member rotates, and a tail portionattached to the sleeve, the brake member serving to stop the rotarymotion of the ring member when the brake member is compressed betweenthe notch and the surface on which the ring member rotates.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the notch into which a section ofthe ring member fits comprises a square-shaped enclosure having one sideremoved, the notch lying in a plane which is substantially perpendicularto the plane of the main length of the rod.

1. Game apparatus comprising: a. a ring member, b. an elongated rodhaving one end portion adapted to engage the ring member for impartingrotary motion to the ring member on a substantially horizontal surface,the end portion having a notch into which a section of the ring memberfits for support of both sides and the lower portion of the section ofthe ring member while allowing the ring member to pass freely throughthe notch as the ring member is being rotated, and c. a brake memberslidably attached to the ring member, said brake member including asleeve portion attached to the ring member and having a sufficientlylarge diameter that the ring member may easily pass through the sleeveas the ring member rotates, and a tail portion attached to the sleeve,the brake member serving to stop the rotary motion of the ring memberwhen the brake member is compressed between the notch and the surface onwhich the ring member rotates.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein thenotch into which a section of the ring member fits comprises asquare-shaped enclosure having one side removed, the notch lying in aplane which is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the mainlength of the rod.